Knitted goods



i FFFFFF ON v KNITTED GOOD Y Y 9 w NH O @G ,HM y l f /NvE/vm? Frank Headoh,

By 92M;

. Attorney.

Patented Oct. 30, 1945 UNITED .STATES PATENT .OFFICE Frank Hendon, New York, N. Y." o 4 Application 1.(3;l92483,s7e8r)ial No. 5Q2,

VThis invention relates to improved non-run knitted goods including Ifabrics and articles made from yarns of organic derivatives of cellulose and more particularly to cellulose acetate yarn or yarn of material some of the same general characteristics such as the quality of being thermo-plastic, and methods of treating knitted fabrics and articles made from such yarn, whereby the tendency to develop such faults as runs or laddering may be greatly reduced.

An' object of the invention and advantageous knitted fabrics and articles which are strongly resistant to runs or laddering.`

is to'provide novel l' Another object is to provide a novel and advantageous method for carrying out the invention.

A further object is to provide knitted goods .of yarn such as cellulose acetate in which runs or ladderlng are held wit predetermined limits without substantial loss of elasticity or llexibility.

In carrying out the invention in a preferred manner, knitted fabric of cellulose acetate which is thermo-plastic, is treated by means including a heateddie, rollor other suitable device to heat and to some extent soften or melt the material of the yarn so as to secure together lat their crossings yarn of adjacent loops, the points of attachment being so arranged as to avoid any substantial impairment of theelasticity of the fabric while adapted to prevent run of any substantial length, or splits of any substantial size. 'I'he points of connection may be so arranged that in one longitudinal area or maior zone containing a plurality of wales the Joining points will be in spaced lines or minor zones extending in inclined direction from one edge of theA area or major zone to the other; and in the areas or site sides of the ilrst major zone the lines or minor zones are inclined in the opposite direction with their ends substantially between the ends of the lines of the central strip. Due to this arrangement the strses are well distributed in the different courses and wales of the fabric.

Other objects, features and 4advantages will appear upon consideration of the following de- Y tailed description and of the `drawing in which the gure is an enlarged face view of a piece of knitted fabric according to the present invention, showingv major zones at oppo' the lines along which the points of connection are arranged. Y

The type of the fabric shown in the drawing consists of a single ply having needle loops A and "sinker loops B formed from ayarn I0 of cellulose acetate. If any loop or stitch is broken in any manner, it releases a loop in the next course and this action may continue indenitely along a. wale until the end thereof is reached. Frequently the run extends only a short distance at first, but if the fabric be not repaired immediately, it will only be a matter of time before the run has extended to the full limit' of the goods. Obviously where the loops in one, Wale are released they will straighten out and allow the adjoining wales to separate thus giving the laddering effect.

According to the present invention runs and laddering effects may be prevented by connecting the cellulose acetate yarn at certain crossings I3 of the loops as by heating the yarn at such points so as to partially melt the same and render it sticky while at the samextime exerting enough pressure to cause a kind of'weldingor coalescing at the crossings. Upon cooling, the yarn at the crossings will be securely held together and a run cannot pass that point.

,As indicated in the drawing, heat and pressure may be applied along the parallel dotted-line areas or minor zones H extending in an inclined direction across a major'zone at the upright; central part of the figure and dotted-line areas or minor zones I2 extending across side areas or major Zonesat a reverse inclination, the ends of one set of minor zones coming midway between the ends of an adjacent set. The yarn loops are then secured together atl the crossings i 3 within the dotted line areas or minor zones on the drawing. It should be understood that the fabric before the heat treatment starts, should be stretched t0 a proper extent before the application of the heated member or members, so as to separate the crossings and determine to a certain extent at what points the crossings are to be joined.

One way of fusing or welding the loops together is by running the fabric between a heated roller having the pattern raised thereon to heat the fabric along the dotted line areas shown on the drawing, and a supporting roller which may be heated if found desirable.

t The fabric is shown on an enlarged scale but in the actual fabric, the Joining positions alongl aof said zones midway the fabric is stretched laterally. the lines of points rested in all of the wales while the fabric retains of attachment will be turned more nearly to its elasticity in the areas between successive par. transverse directions with reference to the wales allel lines. and when stretched longitudinally these lines will 2. A non-run knitted textile fabric comprising be turned more nearly to longitudinal directions. 5 wales and courses of interconnected loops of a Of course such lines of points of attachment may termoplastic yarn, said fabric having the yam be somewhat distorted-in this stretching but the v united'with itself at certain points of crossing fabric will tend to return to normal condition of certain adjacent loops, said points being arwhen the tension is relieved. m ranged in parallel diagonal lines each intersect- It should be understood that the pattern may be varied but should extend over all parts to be treated, and that there should not be a gap of more than 4one-quarter or one-half of an inch between Joinings on any wale ofthe fabric.

Up to this point the description has been directed to treatment of a fabric in flat form'. Hows ever, the treatment of the invention may also be applied to articles such as stockings but for this purpose it may be necessary to place the stockings or other objects on suitable forms which may be heated.

It `should be understood that various changes may be made and that certain features may be used without others, without departing from the true scope and spirit o f the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A non-run knitted textile fabric comprising wales and courses of interconnected loops of a thermoplastic yarn, said fabric having the yarn united with itself at certain points of crossing of certain adjacent loops, said points being arranged in parallel diagonal lines each intersecting a plurality of wales and courses in the same walewise zone, and in an adjacent walewise zone having loops similarly united at certain of their points of crossing but on diagonal lines at an angle to those of the rst-named zone. each of said last-named lines terminating at the Junction of lsaid mst-named lines. whereby runs are arbetween the ends of a pair ing a plurality of wales and courses in a -group of wales, and in an adjacent group of wales hav- `ing loops similarly united at certain of their points of crossing but on diagonal lines at an angle to those ofthe first-named group of wales,

said lines terminating at the Junction oi!l saidl groups of wales but the ends of lines in one group of wales terminating at points remote from the ends ofthe lines in the other group of wales,

whereby runs `are arrested in all of the wales while the fabric retains its elasticity in the areas between successive parallel lines.

3. A non-run knitted textile fabric comprising wales and courses of interconnected loops of a yarn including thermoplastic material, said fabric having the yarn united with itself at certain points of crossing of certain adjacent loops, said points being arranged in parallel diagonal lines each intersecting a plurality 'of wales and courses in a group of wales, and in an adjacent group of wales having loops similarly united at certain of their points of crossing but on diagonal lines at an angle to those of the first-named group of wales, said lines terminating at the junction of said groups of wales but the ends of lines in one group of wales terminating at points remote from. lthe ends of the lines in the other group of wales, whereby runs are arrested in all ofthe wales while the fabric retains its lelasticity in the areas between successive parallel lines.

FRANK HEADON. 

